Minneapolis Considers 18+ Show Ban

The Minneapolis City Pagesreports that the Minneapolis City Council is considering a ban on 18+ shows, a proposal that could have a disastrous effect on the city's live music scene. (Via The Tripwire.)

According to City Councilwoman Lisa Goodman, these shows make it way too easy for concertgoers under 21 years of age to get drunk. According to Goodman, there's a real danger of 21-year-olds passing them alcohol. (Personally, I can't say it ever occurred to 18-year-old me to hey-mister any of the scary-looking older dudes at Cows shows back in the day, but that's just me.)

If Goodman's proposal passes, the city's venues will be limited to booking either all-ages shows where nobody will be able to drink or 21+ events where everyone will. Goodman told City Pages, "I just don't know how I can in good faith look at these public-health people and tell them we don't propagate youth access to alcohol when we allow 18-year-olds into bars where 21-year-olds can pass them alcohol. If I don't do something to address this now, I'm going to face something far more onerous."

Club owners say that such a ban would absolutely destroy their bottom line. Says John Barlow, managing partner of the Minneapolis club Epic: "We would lose anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 per month and would close if this law goes into effect. This would be a deathblow to us as a concert venue. There's a $2 million project here that will sit idle and dark."